Centers of Excellence
In
1984, the General
Assembly and the Governor
of Tennessee announced the creation of a new "Centers
of Excellence" program for Tennessee public higher
education. Selected through a statewide competitive process,
the Centers of Excellence are designed to build upon the
research strengths of the campuses of Tennessee
Board of Regents and University
of Tennessee. Their purpose is to focus on the capabilities
of public higher education to serve the people of Tennessee
by expanding the state's research base; thereby, increasing
its national and international stature and its economic
competitiveness. The Centers of Excellence at our state
universities have been among the most productive section
of the higher education enterprise in the state. They have
brought in millions of dollars in research grants from federal
and private foundations and have produced world class basic
and applied research.
When
the Centers of Excellence
began, the total budget for the Centers was approximately
$20 million. During difficult budget years, that have followed,
funding has declined and is $17.7 million in the current
year. The state appropriation is used by Centers as "seed"
money to attract outside funding.
State
funding provides an avenue for bridging gaps between disciplines
and between the various stages of research. The Centers
provide a neutral ground where scholars with similar research
interest can develop research teams. In many Centers, state
funding makes possible the dissemination or "spin-off"
of research findings and the transfer of technology to business
and industry.
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